Republic Act No.

9858
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE LEGITIMATION OF CHILDREN
BORN TO PARENTS BELOW MARRYING AGE, AMENDING FOR
THE PURPOSE THE FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES, AS
AMENDED

Section 4. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2)
newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,
Section 1. Article 177 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the
"Family Code of the Philippines", as amended, is hereby further amended
to read as follows:

"Art. 177. Children conceived and born outside of wedlock of parents who, at
the time of conception of the former, were not disqualified by any impediment
to marry each other, or were so disqualified only because either or both of
them were below eighteen (18) years of age, may be legitimated."
"Art. 178. Legitimation shall take place by a subsequent valid marriage
between parents. The annulment of a voidable marriage shall not affect the
legitimation."
Section 2. Implementing Rules. The civil Registrar General shall, in
consultation with the chairpersons of the Committee on Revision of Laws of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Youth, Women and
Family Relations of the Senate, the Council for the Welfare of Children, the
Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the
office of the Supreme Court Administrator, the Philippine Association of Civil
Registrars (PACR) and the UP Law Center, issue the necessary
rules/regulations for the effective implementation of this Act not later than one
(1) month from its effectivity.
Section 3. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, proclamations and/or administrative regulations which are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, modified, superseded or
repealed accordingly.

JUAN PONCE ENRILE

PROSPERO C. NOGRALES

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of House Bill No. 5279 and Senate Bill No.
3111 was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on
October 13, 2009.

EMMA LIRIO-REYES

MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP

Secretary of the Senate

Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: DEC 20, 2009

GLORIA MACAPAGALARROYO
President of the Philippines

Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines
Metro Manila
Twelfth Congress
Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-second day of July,
two thousand three.
Republic Act No. 9255

document or private handwritten instrument is made by the father.

Provided, the father has the right to institute an action before the
regular courts to prove non-filiation during his lifetime. The legitime
of each illegitimate child shall consist of one-half of the legitime of a
legitimate child."
SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, proclamations, rules and regulations, which are inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 3. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
from its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,

February 24 2004

AN ACT ALLOWING ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN TO USE THE

SURNAME OF THEIR FATHER, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
ARTICLE 176 OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 209, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE "FAMILY CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Article 176 of Executive Order No. 209, otherwise known as the
Family Code of the Philippines, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Article 176. Illegitimate children shall use the surname and shall be
under the parental authority of their mother, and shall be entitled to
support in conformity with this Code. However, illegitimate children
may use the surname of their father if their filiation has been
expressly recognized by the father through the record of birth
appearing in the civil register, or when an admission in a public

FRANKLIN DRILON
President of the Senate

JOSE DE VENECIA JR.

Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of House Bill No. 4437 and Senate Bill No.
2510 was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on
January 21, 2004 and February 4, 2004, respectively.

Approved: February 24 2004

OSCAR G. YABES
Secretary of Senate

ROBERTO P. NAZARENO
Secretary General House of Represenatives
GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines